Hunters
by Hinn-Raven
Summary: Lawrence fell instead of Paula. Fearing Batman and the Shadows, Paula takes her daughters and runs away.
1. Prologue

**A/N: New story I started on a lark. It's going to be pretty short, probably five chapters at the most. Hope you guys like it! Please tell me what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.**

* * *

_"Stay away from them," a voice hisses, and suddenly Kid Flash is aware of a figure stepping out of the shadows._

_"Who the hell are you?" He shoots in response, looking at the "them" in question—a boy in a mask and cape, younger than Robin; a tiny Asian girl with a domino mask and a baby in a sling over her back, dozing peacefully; a girl in a purple cape and hood; a girl with white hair and a sword; and a boy in a black jumpsuit that looks far too expensive to belong to him._

_"Artemis," the girl said, stepping out into the light. She wore a skin-tight black suit and a cowl with white lenses for eyes. Her hair was short and blonde, held back by a silver hair band, and her mouth was scowling as she aimed an arrow at him. "You?"_

_"Kid Flash, never heard of you," he shot back. The kids shifted, exchanging looks._

_"We're not so careless as that," a voice whispered in his ear, and Wally jumped and let out an undignified yelp. The kids giggled._

_Behind him was a girl in a green kimono, with wild black hair and a mask with a massive smile._

_"Cheshire," Robin called, dropping down. "What are you guys doing here?"_

_"This is our gig," Artemis said, lowering her weapon somewhat, although she kept it out._

_"Your gig?" Wally scoffed. "You and a bunch of kids?"_

_Robin winced, as though he had said something tactless again._

_Cheshire, if that was mask-girl's name, grabbed him and pulled him close to her face. "We have been hunting the Shadows long before you, Kid. Shut up and stay out of our way, and maybe you won't get hurt." She released him and shoved him away. He stumbled before regaining his balance, trying to decide which of the girls he should glare at._

_"This is our hunt," Artemis added. "The Shadows are our business, not the Leagues, and certainly not your precious Team's."_

_"Who are you guys?" Kid Flash demanded, eyes narrow._

_"We're the Hunters," Cheshire said._

_Kid Flash's eyebrow rose. "And here I was, thinking you guys were a myth."_

_"Don't the badguys wish," the boy with a cape laughed, exchanging a fist bump with Jump-Suit. _

_"Hush," Domino-Mask said. "Wake Daymie."_

_"Sorry Cass," Cape-Kid looked ashamed._

_"We'll keep it down," Purple Hood said, placing a gloved hand on 'Daymie's' head. "Right boys?"_

_"You guys brought a baby along?" Robin asked Cheshire._

_ "Can't leave him behind in the hotel," Cheshire said with a shrug._

_"Couldn't someone have stayed behind?" Wally asked, slightly incredulous._

_Wally was suddenly on the receiving end of five withering glares._

_"Don't be stupid," Swordette said reproachfully._

_"It takes all of us to handle him," Cape-Kid said. "One wouldn't be enough."_

* * *

_Six Years Earlier_

"Jade!" Paula Crock yelled, throwing open the door into their apartment, still in full costume. "Artemis!"

"Mom?" The two girls looked up from their dinners, eyes wide. "I thought you said you had a job tonight—" Jade began, looking confused.

"Grab what you need girls," Paula cut them off. "I'm sorry, but your father's been caught by the police. Batman might be here any minute now, and we need to be gone."

"Why would Batman come for you?" Artemis said, scrambling. "He's never found you before?"

"Because I was unmasked during the fight," Paula said, wrenching open a cupboard, revealing a safe. "Jade, get the weapons. Artemis, clothes for both of you. Both of you, any valuables you have."

"Yes Mom," they chorused, running; Jade to the weapons closet, Artemis for their bedroom.

"Pack light!" She called, grabbing the fistful of travel documents and fake IDs from the safe, along with a large amount of cash.

"All the weapons, Mom?" Jade yelled.

"Leave your father's," Paula responded, heading for her room. "None of us use baseball bats. But make sure you get your shrikes, and Artemis's bow."

Paula shed her Huntress outfit, dumping it on the floor unceremoniously. Batman had probably placed tracers on it, and she couldn't risk bringing it. She grabbed an ordinary change of clothes, and quickly put them on. Three more outfits went into a duffle bag that was always kept under the bed, followed by the documents and the cash. She grabbed her wedding photograph, along with the ones of Artemis and Jade as children, and placed them in the bag as well. Her jewelry case followed.

Now she had to hurry. Batman would be on his way, and maybe even the police.

She grabbed an envelope, and inside it shoved a key to a train station locker, and a piece of paper with coordinates to one of Lawrence's safe-houses in it. The locker contained some of Lawrence's spare things, and it would make it seem like she had expected him to escape custody and then meet her at the safe-house.

She opened the door to her bedside table, lifted the false bottom, and deposited it there. It wouldn't take Batman long to find it, and it would buy her time. They would think she ran for one of the safe-houses. Their next guess would probably be back to the Shadows.

Paula's mouth twisted into a scowl. If they thought they would bring her girls to Ra's al Ghul, and into the Life, they were sadly mistaken. If it hadn't been for the enemies she had made, she would never have even allowed Crusher to train them. But she would _not_ see her girls be like her.

It was time to leave the Life.

Paula left her room, pausing only to grab the battered copy of _Alice in Wonderland_ from her bedside table for her girls.

Her daughters were waiting for her, eyes wide and scared. Their bags were slung over their shoulders, and Artemis clung to her teddy-bear tightly.

"Where are we going?" Artemis asked.

"I don't know," Paula answered honestly. "But remember girls; in this family, we stick together, no matter what."

Then they left the apartment.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you guys liked it! Tell me what you think, please! **

**Hinn-Raven**


	2. Chapter I: Leaving Gotham

Gotham's main bus station was always crowded, even at one o'clock in the morning. Paula gripped Jade's hand firmly as the three of them wove their way through the crowd towards a relatively empty corner, where they could talk.

As much as Paula would have loved to buy tickets to Metropolis and board a bus with her girls, it wasn't that simple. Undercover police officers ran the ticket stands, and there were security cameras everywhere. Further security cameras on the bus, and the added fact that the three of them made a rather easy group to spot made it virtually impossible for the three of them to leave together.

Artemis and Jade had to get out of Gotham. Once they were, Paula would be able to roam free. She'd lose Batman, and then meet up with them.

Paula knelt in front of her girls, reaching into her duffle bag.

"What's the plan?" Jade said, looking at her.

"You two need to get out of here," Paula said.

"What?" Artemis squeaked, clutching Jade's arm like it was a lifeline. "But you said—"

"I know what I said," Paula said flatly, making eye contact with Artemis. "But if I go with you, Batman will find me."

The two girls exchanged looks.

"This is short term, I promise," Paula said, pressing a plastic-bag full of cash and documents into Jade's hand. "You two are Jade and Artemis _Nguyen_. You're on your way to Metropolis to meet up with your mother, Lian." Artemis's lips quirked upward at the name. "Find a motel, and lie low. I'll meet you in two days at noon, outside the Daily Planet building."

"How do we know if it's the Daily Planet?" Jade asked, dropping the plastic bag into her own duffle.

"It has a globe on its roof," Paula said. "Find a motel in Suicide Slum. They shouldn't ask too many questions."

"So it's like Crime Alley," Artemis said, looking less nervous now.

"Exactly," Paula said.

"And if you don't come?" Jade demanded, looking right at her. "If Batman catches you?"

Paula swallowed, and pushed a strand of Jade's always messy hair behind her ear. "Wait for three more days. If I'm not there by then, go to the training house in Blüdhaven, and call Talia. She'll look after you…" _If I can't_.

Jade nodded.

"Be careful," Paula said, kissing Jade's forehead. "Both of you. Jade, you've got to protect Artemis. Artemis, watch her back. And whatever you do _stick together_."

"Yes Mom," they chorused.

"Stay out of trouble, stick together, and _don't_ go looking for Superman," Paula said, hugging her girls. "I'll see you in two days."

"Love you Mom," Jade whispered.

"Yeah, love you," Artemis agreed.

"I love you both," Paula said, before she faded into the night.

"I'm going to learn to do that," Jade decided, once she realized their mother was gone.

"_Please_," Artemis said, relaxing her grip somewhat on Jade's arm. "Mom said it took her _years_ to look that trick."

"I'll learn it," Jade said, dragging Artemis towards the ticket booth. "And then _no one_ will be able to beat me."

Artemis laughed. "We stick together, right?" She asked, hand intertwined with Jade's.

Jade laughed. "C'mon sis. We just told Mom that."

"Promise?" Artemis demanded, looking up at her sister's face.

Jade looked at her baby sister, and smirked. "Promise."

* * *

The bar that Paula walked into was in the seediest side of Gotham. Cigarette smoke filled the air, but the scent of alcohol overpowered it easily.

The bar was lined with patrons, the majority of them recognizable to a halfway competent police officer (all six of them anyways) as criminals with impressive rap-sheets.

Paula looked stunning in her black dress. Tiger-eyes gleamed in her ears and around her neck and makeup emphasized her features. To a casual observer, she appeared unarmed. She nodded at the bartender, who clearly recognized her, and walked into the back room, which was separated from the rest of the bar by a simple bead curtain.

In it there were several men and a few women. The Riddler was recognizable in his green suit, shuffling card while muttering under his breath. Two-Face lingered in a corner; too occupied by a conversation he was having with one of his men to notice her. Paula was grateful. She did not need to deal with Harvey Dent and his myriad of issues tonight of all nights.

Her eyes landed on the very person she needed to see.

"Huntress!" Poison Ivy lounged in the corner opposite Two-Face, a glass of amber liquid in her hand. She smiled, getting to her feet. "I heard that Batman caught you."

"Not quite," Paula said. Ivy's eyes traveled to Paula's throat, where finger shaped bruises were faintly visible under the layers of carefully applied makeup.

"Good for you," Ivy said, her smile cold. "Sit down, sit down."

"Thank you," Paula said, doing as she was bid. "They got Sportsmaster. They know where I am."

Ivy frowned, her elegant fingernails tapping on the heavy wood of the table. "No loyalty between you two?"

"Loyalty is bought and sold with him," Paula said truthfully. "They'll offer him a deal. A few decades off his sentence, in return for me," Paula shrugged.

Ivy sighed. "And _then_, they'll offer you a deal for your employers." She shook her head.

"The new DA's no Harvey Dent," Paula said with an ironic smile, "But he's still _very_ good at cutting deals with the ones that Gordon catches."

"One day someone's going to get Gordon…" Ivy said wistfully, swirling the liquid in her glass. "I just hope I get to see the look on his face as he dies." She refocused, leaning in towards Paula. "But enough chit-chat. What do _you_ need, Huntress?"

Paula leaned in as well. "I need you to distract Batman. I need to get out of town and we both know he'll be watching every exit."

Ivy's smile grew. "And the payment?"

Paula reached into her bag, and pulled out a small plastic bag with three seeds. "From Vietnam."

Ivy's eyes lit up, and she took the plastic bag. "I think this will do nicely." She got to her feet. "Give me two hours."

"Pleasure doing business with you," Paula said, exiting the bar slightly faster than was strictly necessary.

Two hours later, she boarded a train to Blüdhaven. Her hair was now short and spiky, sticking up in all directions with the ends dyed bright blue. Another layer of makeup and cheap skinny jeans, a colorful t-shirt and sneakers added to the effect of a woman ten years younger than she really was.

Paula wasn't stupid enough to think that hiring Ivy as a distraction would be enough to through Batman off her tail. It would take much longer to lose him, and a lot more effort.

Her eyes scanned the rooftops and corners, looking for Batman—or a Shadow agent. She saw nothing out of place; which was hardly reassuring. Paula might be the Shadow's forefront tracker, but that did not mean that she couldn't be fooled.

The train was dirty and gratified, smelling of smoke and smog. The people around her were either in various states of stoned or drunk, or up to something.

Well, Paula thought with a wry smile, at least she fit in. The man next to her had a gun in his waistband, a knife in his pocket, and he stunk of marijuana. Paula reached into her bag, fingering the blades of her swords to reassure herself, before pulling out a battered iPod. She placed the ear-buds in her ears and pretended to turn it on, knowing that it would immediately discount her as a threat to anyone.

Paula scanned the crowd, searching for familiar faces, and was gratified when she found not a single one.

* * *

Lawrence "Crusher" Crock sat in the police holding cell, experimenting with the cuffs on his wrists. Never anything too obvious, just the occasional twist.

His legs ached where the wire had pulled on it, and his whole body was bruised from the fall, but he was alive, thanks to Paula. A small smile traced his features. She'd get him out of here soon enough. He had faith in the Shadows… and he knew enough about Ra's al Ghul's Light project that he was too valuable a player to be lost in the system just yet.

He tapped his fingers on the table, being sure to tap out insults about the police department in Morse Code, just to screw with anyone who would be watching the security tapes.

"Mr. Crock." The door swung open, and a tall, wide, and very familiar blonde man walked in. He wore a suit, overcoat and gloves, and carried a very large briefcase. "I'm James Matson, from the DA's office. I'm here to discuss your case."

Crusher looked up, a slow, cruel smile crossing his face. "You are?"

"Indeed," the man said, opening a briefcase and then turning it around to face Crusher. "Shall we discuss our strategy?"

Inside the briefcase gleamed two AK-47s, along with several small pistols and explosive devices.

"Well, why not?" Crusher said, flexing his hands and twisting them. "I think I'll plead…" The handcuffs fell to the floor with a clatter. He grabbed one of the guns with a manic grin. Alarms went off in the distance. "Not guilty by virtue of not being here!"

Matson grinned, pulling off his gloves, revealing a mechanical hook that expanded in place of his right hand. "C'mon then!" With his left hand, Matson scooped up the other gun. Crusher grabbed the briefcase.

Matson's hook broke down the heavy metal door, and the two of them burst into the hallway, guns blazing.

"Gotta say!" Crusher yelled, firing off a series of shots with his usual expert precision. Three cops went down, and his grin turned manic. "Surprised it was _you_ who broke me out! Thought Paula'd beat you to it!"

Matson slashed open the doors to a holding cell, and tossed in two guns to the inmates inside. He turned to Crusher, a slightly surprised look on his face. "You didn't hear?"

"What?" Crusher said, ducking behind a wall to avoid some return fire. He lobbed a smoke grenade towards the policemen, smirking. "Did they get her too?"

"She ran, Crusher," Matson said, setting a charge on the nearest wall. "She grabbed your girls and ran."

Crusher felt a stab of shock. "She did, huh?" Typical. Paula always _had_ been soft. "I take it the bounty's out?"

"'course," Matson said. "And the Master himself wants a word with you."

Crusher growled. The girls were _payment_. His as well as Paula's. Ra's al Ghul would _not _be happy with her disappearance. And he'd probably take it out on Crusher.

Crusher's fingers twitched for his gun. He knew what he'd have to do to make it back to the Shadow's good books. It would be distasteful, true, but he'd do it.

It was time to hunt the Huntress.

The wall exploded behind them, and the two loyal Shadows left the police station, leaving a bloody trail behind them.

* * *

Jade sat on the bed, flipping through the channels. Artemis sat next to her, reading the battered copy of _Alice in Wonderland_ while clutching the teddy bear.

Jade stopped at an old show, _Hello something or other_, trying to focus on the stupid plot.

"Mom's coming soon, right?" Artemis said without looking up.

"Very soon," Jade said, eying the clock.

Artemis grinned, setting down the book. "D'yah wanna watch something?"

"I already am," Jade said, gesturing to the screen, where the red haired girl was cuing a laugh track by hitting her head.

"Something _good_?" Artemis pleaded, clambering onto her older sister's lap.

"Fine," Jade sighed. "What do you have in mind?"

* * *

Paula pushed open the door to the motel room. She'd arrived early. Her shoulder ached from where the batarang had struck her, but otherwise she was in perfect condition. They'd have to leave the next morning, head out of the country, but for now, things were good.

The motel room the girls had chosen was awful, Paula noted with distaste. The carpet was faded and stained with nicotine smoke. The wallpaper was peeling, although it was a mild improvement to the original pattern of ugly flowers on a moldy green background. The ceiling was low, with cracks that ran almost completely through the middle. But there were her girls, safe and sound. The room had been successful in that at least.

Her hair was its natural black once again, although it was still short. Ungelled, it fell just past her ears, making her feel young again. She wore her favorite yellow blouse with a green vine pattern on it, and her shoes were silent as she crept into the room.

Her daughters lay on top of the covers in the only bed in the room. The TV was on, playing _Toy Story_. Paula smiled, remembering when she'd taken Jade to see that when it was in theaters. She switched it off.

Paula moved over to the bed. The teddy bear was squashed in between them, the discared copy of _Alice in Wonderland_ lay on the floor. She picked up the book, setting it on the nightstand. Carefully, she drew back the ugly green covers of the bed, and slipped in, making sure that her daughters were covered by the blankets.

She wrapped her arms around her daughters and closed her eyes.


End file.
